This application claims the priority of 198 47 983.2-21, filed Oct. 17, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a vehicle with a multipart lowerable vehicle top with at least two pending-resistant top elements, which a swivellably connected with one another and, by way of at least one top element, are swivellably connected with the vehicle body.
Lowerable folding tops, particularly also so-called hardtops made of firm vehicle body parts, are generally known. DE 44 45 944 C1 describes one such roof construction which consists of only two elements. The movement and the coordination of the individual roof parts here takes place by a very complex mechanism having control levers.
Other folding top arrangements and control elements are described in DE 195 39 086 C1; DE 43 16 485 A1; DE 39 03 358 A1; and DE 195 20 648 A1. The guiding of the vehicle top elements always takes place in guide rails or by linkages and control levers.
The relative movements of the roof parts with respect to one another must therefore be implemented at high mechanical expenditures. Thus, specific kinematics are, for example, always required which are designed for the respective geometrical shape of the hardtop. This represents a stark contrast to the economically, logistically and ecologically meaningful efforts of standardizing and reducing the variety of parts and types of vehicle elements.
Another disadvantage of using connecting link guides and control rods is the often poor operating quality. Particularly in the case of multipart vehicle tops, mainly in the case of vehicle tops which have more than two parts, these elements tend to jam in the guides.
The seal cut-throughs by the control levers represent another disadvantage. This point is particularly important with respect to many vehicle users"" opinion that hardtops have a poorer quality than firm vehicle tops.
In addition to the purely mechanical problems concerning the stability and the method of operation of the lowerable vehicle top, the limited possibility of selecting lowering paths increasingly also presents a problem, particularly with a view to passengers situated in the vehicle and the operation of the lowerable vehicle top in narrow spaces (such as garages).
EP 0 835 778 A1; EP 0 835 779 A1; and EP 0 835 780 A1 relate to other such lowerable folding tops and illustrate the described problems on the example of three-part hardtops.
A driven rotary connection is described in DE 44 06 376 A1, in which the fluidically operable rotary drive is still of a very complex and geometrically projecting construction. However, such a drive makes, it is possible to implement also slow an extremely uniform rotating movements along a large torque range. Such drives are currently used in the vehicle suspension field, as also disclosed in DE 39 37 986 A1.
An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a vehicle with a multipart lowerable vehicle top which is distinguished by a movement apparatus which is as light and simple as possible and has a small number of parts. This movement apparatus is to be capable of implementing any lowering path desired by the user for the multipart lowerable vehicle top.
According to the present invention, this object has been achieved by providing that, for the connection of the at least two bending-resistant top elements with one another and/or with the vehicle body, swivelling joints are provided, per connection, at least one of the swivelling joints being drivable.
As the result of the connection of the individual top parts with one another or with the vehicle body only by way of swivel joints or active swivel joints, the heavy and very complex linkage which is susceptible to disturbances is completely eliminated, and the bearing and the drive are combined in one component. Problems concerning the sealing of the vehicle top which result from the fact that the linkage cuts through the seals will therefore no longer occur. As the result, the linkage can cause no difficulties, such as rattling or jamming.
The drivable swivel joints can be operated completely independently of one another to permit implementation of different lowering paths for the multipart lowerable vehicle top with a very simple electrical or electromechanical control.
In a particularly advantageous further development of the invention, the drivable swivelling joints are fluidically operated. Thereby, in addition to the mounting of the swivelling joints, only lines for the fluidic drive of the vehicle top must be laid.